Who Will Save You Now? (Michael Gray x Reader)
by HopeVainProductions
Summary: You, daughter of Raimond Pierce, are suddenly thrown into the world of Peaky Blinders, your family's biggest rivals when you are forced to marry one of the Blinders against your will. Besides the matters of heart you also need to deal with the fact that your own family member wants to make sure that you don't get to lead the Pierce gang. Reader-insert Peaky Blinders fanfiction.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

Out of everything your father asked you to do, getting friendly with one of the Shelby's was the end of the line. Whether it was kissing someone, going on a date with someone, even sleeping with someone - you did it without hesitation. With every thing you did your father involved you more in the business. Besides the Shelby's, your family was one of the most powerful families in Birmingham. The name of your father was feared just as much as the name of Thomas Shelby. People around Birmingham knew you, but fear was not the emotion that came over them when they heard your name.

 _ **"Y/N Pierce - she's the daughter of Raimond Pierce."**_ That's how you were known. Everyone knew you simply as the daughter of one of the biggest gangsters in England. What they didn't know was the amount of effort you had put into your family's business. What they didn't know was that because of you your family had even gained that much power.

Your father was sure to not let anyone know that. Hugely disappointed that there wasn't someone he could pass the business on to he was forced to choose his brother as his successor. He was sure that someone from the Pierce family had to carry on the legacy he had created. His first choice would have been his own child, but with you as his only child he had written off the idea just as quickly as it had came. He was sure that a woman like you could not lead the Pierce gang. Boy, how wrong was he.

But when your father asked you to make your way into the lives of the Shelby family as a way of spying on them, you declined. You were not about to go to the nest of the hyenas. The Shelby's were your fathers biggest rivals. Luckily not either of the sides had shed much blood on each sides. At the beginning there were some killings and kidnappings, but things calmed down when the two families made peace with each other. The two families even became allies against the Russians and the Italians who were gaining more and more power in the town.

* * *

 ** _"What do you mean you won't do it? This wasn't a request."_** Raimond glared at you, surprised that you had refused. The two of you were in his cabinet, your uncle and your father's closest confidant next to him.

 _ **"I mean what I said, I won't do it. I will not be your spy."** _ You declared, everyone's eyes fixated on you. Silence took over in the room as no one dared to say anything before your father. He on the other hand seemed to be at loss of words or not finding the right words to say. He simply glared at you, making you extremely uncomfortable under his watchful eye. The man was as cold as ice, not showing even you, his daughter, some affection.

Things weren't always like that. Raimond Pierce became a cold-hearted man after the death of his wife, your mother. Caitlyn Pierce was killed in a car accident along with her lover who Raimond did not know anything about. Finding out that Caitlyn was killed and having a lover crushed him as he became colder and colder with every passing day.

 ** _"You know, there was a time when I would have killed you for you decling my command. Today is not the day. Do you have any idea how long I waited for you to grow some balls and refuse me? Let me tell you: a very long time."_** Raimond declared with his usual confidence in his voice while you stood still, staring at him with a stunned expression. You glanced at your uncle, seeing him clench his jaw as he also stared at your father. Lucas, your father's confidant, on the other hand had a smile on his face which helped you calm down a little. You and Lucas had always gotten along very well and seeing his smile helped you relax a little since you were sure that whatever was coming your way was not going to be anything awful.

 _ **"Leave us."** _ Your father commanded. Lucas immediately went to stand by the door while your uncle simply stood still, staring at your father.

 ** _"I think that maybe I should-"_** He started, but was immediately interrupted by your father.

 ** _"I said to leave us alone. That includes you too, Andre."_ ** Raimond Pierce declared, his usual glare fixated on your uncle. Andre let out a huff before he stormed out of the room with Lucas behind him who closed the cabinet door after him.

For a moment silence filled the room as neither of you said anything. You stood awkwardly before your father motioned for you to take a seat opposite him which you silently did.

 _ **"Do you know why I'm so hard on you? Why I yell at you? Why I ask you to do things for me? For this family?"**_ He questioned and at this point you weren't sure whether you really knew an answer to his question. You always figured it was the death of your mother that made him like this. You didn't answer his question, not knowing did he really want an answer.

 _ **"I do it because I don't want you to be weak. If you're taking over this business someday you have to have some backbone. And that is something that you lack of. Luckily, you're not a lost cause."**_ Your father remarked, making you extremely confused. Take over the business? You were more than sure that you taking over was the last thing he wanted to see in this world.

 ** _"I thought you didn't want me to take over."_** You said out loud, mentally cursing yourself for saying things out loud without thinking. Running the business was something you had dreamed of for some time now, and now your father indicating that it was a possibility was like a dream come true, even if it was still a possibility. Why would you possibly want to sabotage that chance?

 _ **"I'll be honest, I thought so too."**_ He started before letting out a sigh and looking into your eyes, his look not as hard as it was before.

 _ **"But you are my child. If there's one woman who can survive in the world of men it is you. But don't think that it's going to be easy."**_ Raimond spoke out and you found yourself quickly nodding, a smile on your face. A grin appeared onto your father's face which disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. He motioned for you to leave the room and to leave him alone. You silently stood up as you turned around to leave the room.

 ** _"Wipe that stupid smile off your face and listen to me."_** He started and you turned around, your lips forming a straight line as you looked at him.

 ** _"No word to anyone at this point, especially to Andre. You understand?"_** He asked and you nodded as a response which was a bad idea since your father spoke to you now in a much louder voice.

 ** _"We do not nod. We say the words. Do you understand?"_** He questioned, his voice sounding as harsh as it always was.

 ** _"Yes, I understand."_** You spoke out loudly, trying to match his harshness but failing to do so. You weren't as tough as he was and there was no denying it. Everyone who knew your family knew it, and so did your father.

 ** _"Good. Now go find yourself a nice dress. We're having a party tonight."_**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1_**

Loudmusic filled the room as guests danced on the dancefloor. Glasses clicking together was something you heard too often as you stood next to your father, greeting each and every one of the guests that had entered the room. You stood next to him gracefully, your red dress catching the eye of every man entering. Your father had told you to dress nicely, and after a suggestion by your friend Paula you opted for the red dress that was elegant and appropriate, yet emphasizing every part of your body that you wanted it to.

Raimond introduced you to every name worth mentioning, telling you that it was important for you to know who they were. Truth was that you desperately wanted to meet the Peaky Blinders who you knew were going to show up at the party. You hadn't met them before, making you a little anxious as you tried your best to relax with sipping the champagne in your hands. You felt yourself getting more nervous when you looked at the armed guards standing next to the doorway. You tried your best to smile at the entering guests as you greeted them along with your father who stood firmly chatting with his colleagues and friends.

 ** _"Can I leave for a minute? I need to use the bathroom."_** You whispered to your father as another pair of gangsters walked past the two of you. He simply motioned for you to go as he continued saying his greetings to the guests.

You walked over to the bar, placing the champagne class onto the counter. You let out a deep sigh when suddenly a hand was placed onto your shoulder. You looked at Lucas who appeared next to you, smiling at you.

 ** _"Relax Y/N, nothing is going to happen."_** He said, taking his hand away from you as he grabbed a glass from behind the counter, pouring some whiskey into it before passing it to you. The bartender looked at him weirdly before attending to some other guests who were demanding something stronger than champagne. You took the glass before downing it in one go and placing it back onto the counter. Looking over to Lucas you saw him staring past you as you turned yourself around, seeing a bunch of suited men enter the room. Their eyes looked around the place before they walked over to your father. Some of the guests around them stopped doing whatever they were doing as they stared at the Peaky Blinders, fear washing over them.

 ** _"Is it them?"_** You asked as you turned back, looking at Lucas. A part of you already knew the answer to the question as you started walking towards your father. You stopped when Lucas grabbed your arm, pulling you back.

 _ **"Be careful around them, Y/N. Don't let them fool you. They may look like a bunch of nice guys, but they're not. You have to be tough around them, that's how you'll earn their respect."**_ He said before letting of your arm. You inhaled deeply before starting to walk towards your father and the Peaky Blinders.

* * *

 ** _"Is your lovely daughter here? I've been hearing good things about her. Smart, beautiful, not at all like you are."_** You heard one of the Shelby's say to your father as you walked next to him, a small smile on your face.

 ** _"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment."_** You stated, glancing at your father before looking over at the Shelby's. Each and every one of them stood quietly as they all looked you up and down. Honestly, you felt quite uncomfortable when they stared at you just as your father, but you shook it off, reminding yourself that you needed to be tough.

 ** _"I possibly couldn't insult a beauty like you."_** The man replied as he took your hand, kissing the back of it as he looked into your eyes. He seemed to be the oldest of the group. On his left stood a man with an extremely serious face, his blue eyes piercing at you. On the man's right stood two men who looked to be younger than the others. They simply stared at you, one of them wearing a smirk on his face while the other one seemed to be stunned. For a moment you could have sworn you saw his mouth hang open, before he gathered himself and managed a serious expression onto his face.

 ** _"It seems that there are still gentlemen left in this world."_** You remarked as he let go of your hand, earning a chuckle from him. From the corner of your eye you saw your father staring at you, but you couldn't figure out whether he looked disappointed or satisfied.

 ** _"I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."_** You said, but before any of the Shelby's could reply your father started to introduce them to you.

 ** _"This is Thomas Shelby, Arthur Shelby, John Shelby and their cousin Michael Gray."_** He introduced each and every one of the gentleman as they all shook your hand except for Arthur who planted another kiss onto the back of your hand. At this point everything had gone smoothly, making you relax. Or maybe it was the whiskey, you weren't sure, but at this point it didn't matter.

 ** _"If you excuse us Miss Y/N, your father and I need to talk about business. Perhaps you can look over my family meanwhile?"_** Thomas questioned as he looked over to you. You forced a smile onto your face as you looked into his eyes. A part of you wanted to say 'no' but you knew that it would have been a bad idea.

 ** _"Of course."_** You replied as he and your father took it as their cue to leave. You looked over to the other Shelby's with a large smile on your face as you tried to make it seem as natural as possible.

 ** _"What would you like to drink, gentlemen?"_**

* * *

Laughter erupted from the table that the four of you were sitting behind, causing other guests to look at you when someone laughed a little too loudly. Music continued to play as guests continued to enjoy the evening, not trying to think too much over the fact that two most powerful families in Birmingham were together in the same room as them.

 ** _"I like you, Y/N, you know how to have fun, unlike your father. You should stop by the Garrison sometime, we have great whiskey there."_** Arthur mumbled drunkenly as he pointed at you. You felt yourself smile as you took another sip of whiskey that Arthur had refilled before.

 ** _"Scotch or Irish?"_** You asked as each and every one of the Shelby's let out a chuckle, causing you to raise your eyebrow at them.

 ** _"We can get you the bloody American whiskey if you want."_** John explained, chuckling to himself before taking a sip of his drink. Everything seemed to be going quite alright - Arthur and John spent most of the time talking to you while Michael quietly sipped his drink, saying a word every once in a while. Your father and Thomas Shelby still hadn't come out of the cabinet which worried you since they had spent at least half an hour there. Whatever they were talking about was supposedly very important.

 ** _"So Y/N, I've been hearing things on the street. People talk. Is it true that you are the next leader of the Pierce gang?"_** John questioned as he leaned forward, his eyes staring into yours. You stared back at him, your lips forming a grin onto your face.

 ** _"I don't see how that is any of your business."_** You spoke back, the stare off between the two of you continuing when he suddenly started laughing, drinking his glass empty and grabbing the bottle to pour some more alcohol into his glass. The bottle slipped from his hands, crashing onto the floor as everything around the four of you fell silent. You could have sworn you saw him dropping the bottle onto the floor on purpose. A maid rushed forward to clean the pieces of glass from the floor, but failed to do so when John grabbed the sweeping brush and scoop from her hands, throwing them onto the table in front of you. You immediately jumped up, glaring at him when Michael next to you and Arthur opposite you stood up as well.

 ** _"I think that you as our hostess should clean this up. It is your party after all."_** John spoke as he continued to sit on the chair as every person in the room stared at you, waiting for your next move. For a second you even thought about doing so, but you remembered what Lucas had said to you earlier. You had to present yourself as a tough person.

 ** _"I have to disagree. It is a maid's job, and I am no maid."_** You spoke out harshly, surprising even yourself in the process. You heard a couple of women gasping at your answer. They thought that you were either very brave or very stupid. At this point even you weren't sure which one was the correct answer. Silence filled the room for a couple of seconds when John suddenly let out a laugh, motioning to the musicians to start playing again. The maid scurried forwards as she grabbed the broom and the scoop, cleaning up the piece of glasses from the floor. You stood silently, letting out a sigh.

 ** _"Relax Y/N, I was just testing you."_** John explained as Arthur took a seat while Michael remained standing next to you.

 ** _"I don't need to be tested in my own home. Remember that next time you're here. Enjoy your evening gentleman."_** You replied as you left the table, ready to leave the room when suddenly the door of your father's cabinet opened and Thomas Shelby along with your father stepped out.

 ** _"Everybody out!"_** Raimond Pierce yelled, stopping you along the way. Every other person except for the Shelby's moved, exiting the room as quickly as they could. You stood still as Thomas walked past you, glancing at you before walking over to the table where his siblings were seated. Your father walked next to you, grabbing your arm as he forced you to walk back at the table you desperately wanted to escape from. Thomas took a seat next to Arthur while your father remained standing along with you. Thomas's ice blue eyes were staring at you as you waited for either him or your father to say something.

 ** _"Well Y/N, after a long conversation with your father we finally managed to work out a deal."_** Thomas explained, grabbing Arthur's drink and downing it. The Shelby's stared at Thomas, unsure what he was talking about.

 ** _"What deal?"_** You managed to speak out, the harshness from before gone. Thomas motioned towards your father as you turned to him, a confused expression on your face. When he didn't reply you turned back at Thomas who let out a chuckle.

 ** _"Well you see, your father desperately needed someone to help him with keeping his properties. I have graciously agreed to help him. In exchange, you are to marry one of my siblings so that the peace between us would last as long as possible."_** Thomas spoke out, his face showing no expressions. You on the other hand felt your mouth fell open as you stared at him before looking at your father.

 ** _"What?"_**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Everything around you had stopped. You couldn't force yourself to get out of bed. Your friend Paula had visited you, but since you didn't reply to her there wasn't much she could say or do to ease your situation. Your father hadn't come into your room not once. Instead, if he had something to say to you he sent the message through Lucas who was the only one you saw past these two days. He didn't say much, only passing on what your father wanted for you to know. He tried to reassure you that everything was going to be fine, but you couldn't force yourself to believe that. You couldn't believe that your father was selling you to the Shelby's.

* * *

 _ **"Tell me he's lying. Please."** You pleaded as you looked at your father who couldn't dare to look into your eyes. When he did the expression on his face said everything - Thomas wasn't lying. You felt your eyes tearing up, but you forced yourself to hold them back. You weren't going to start crying in front of the Shelby's, not now or ever._

 _ **"Welcome to the family, Y/N."** Thomas said before standing up from his seat as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table and leaving the room. John, Arthur and Michael sat still for a second before they too stood up, Arthur sending you an apologetic look before they all left the room, leaving you and your father alone.  
_

 _ **"I can't believe you would do this to me."** You spoke up after a while, a tear rolling down your cheek. You directed your look at him as you tried to read his expression. He looked cold as ice, just like he wouldn't even care what happened to you.  
_

 _ **"I knew you hated me, but I wouldn't believe you would sell me like a horse to the highest bidder."** You said angrily before storming out of the room, tears dropping down onto your cheeks.  
_

* * *

You had heard Thomas Shelby visit your father the day before. You wouldn't even bother to ask Lucas what he wanted, because you simply knew - he was there to discuss the matters of you marrying someone from his family. You would become your father's spy all along, just like he wanted you to before you refused.

You were more than sure that your uncle was more than happy. He had visited you in the morning, telling you that whatever happened you would still be part of the family. But he couldn't hide the smirk on his face which he thought you wouldn't notice. You out of the picture made him think that he would gain the power all to himself.

The more you started thinking about it the more you realized you couldn't let this happen. You were still a Pierce, daughter of Raimond Pierce and if there was one person who would lead the Pierce gang it was you, not Andre Pierce. That was the thing that made you realize that moping in your room would not help ease the pain you felt due to your father's pain. You would show him that you were his daughter, just as tough and capable as he.

* * *

 _ **"She still hasn't come out of her room?"**_ You heard your father ask Lucas as the two of them walked into Raimond's cabinet. As you exited your room you pulled your coat onto your dress as you tried as quickly as possible to sneak past the cabinet door. You hoped that they would stay in it as long as you walked out of the house. Talking with your father was the last thing you wanted to do.

As soon as you exited the main door of your house you bumped into your uncle, making you drop your purse. You quickly tried to grab it, but Andre had managed to beat you to it as he grabbed it instead, handing it back to you.

 _ **"Where are you going?"**_ He questioned, standing in front of you so that you couldn't move. You stared at him, seeing him smile. You knew he was power hungry, you just hadn't realized before how hungry for power he really was.

 _ **"None of your concern. Now move."** _ You replied, a little too harshly than you intended. He raised his hands before moving to the side so that you could move past him. When you did he suddenly grabbed your arm, making you turn back at him.

 _ **"Don't you ever talk to me like that. Ever."**_ He simply said before you pulled your arm from his grip, sending him a glare before walking away from the house.

* * *

At first you didn't have a destination. Then you decided to visit Paula. Realizing that it was not a good idea you found yourself walking towards the Garrison, the one place you actually wanted to stay away from. Due to your desperate need of a drink you decided to hit a pub, choosing The Garrison out of all of the pubs in Birmingham. You remembered Arthur's invitation, and today seemed to be like an excellent day to take up his offer. You just hoped that he would be there without any of his family members, even though deep down you knew that the chance was slim to none.

When you walked into the pub you were greeted by drunken men along with drunken women, some of them singing, some of the kissing. At one corner of the pub a couple of men were arguing with each other, looking like they were about to start fighting at any second. You stopped in your tracks, your eyes wandering around the place. As soon as you spotted the bar you decided to go there and ask the barmen whether he knew anything about the Shelby's.

As you started walking you heard a group of people whisper your name, pointing at you before continuing drinking. Your guess was that they knew who you were and perhaps were surprised to see you there. Or they knew that you were going to marry one of the Shelby's and were discussing your unfortunate destiny.

When you reached the bar you were approached by the barmen who was more than surprised to see you in a place like The Garrison. You were dressed nicely which was the number one indication that you were richer than most of the folk in the pub.

 _ **"What can I get you?"**_ He asked, looking you up and down. You sat on the stool, your eyes wandering around the place as you hoped to gain a sight of Arthur Shelby.

 _ **"Where can I find Arthur Shelby?"**_ You asked, looking at him. Upon hearing the name the barmen froze as he walked away from you, not bothering to say anything. You let out a huff as you watched him go to serve other customers.

 _ **"Oi!"**_ You yelled, raising your hand as a sign for him to come and serve you. He let out a sigh as he stepped back towards you, nearing closer to you as he looked nervously around the place.

 _ **"Look, everyone in here is scared of the Shelby's. We don't want no trouble with them."**_ He explained as you rolled your eyes at him. Of course they were afraid of them, who wasn't?

 _ **"Do you want any trouble with Raimond Pierce? Because that's what you're going to get if you don't tell me where I'm gonna find Arthur bloody Shelby."**_ You whispered back to him, seeing his eyes widen as he stumble backwards, almost hitting the shelf on which all of the alcohol was placed. Without even glancing at you he walked away as you turned around, grabbing your purse from the counter as you were ready to leave the place, understanding that you were not about to find him.

You raised you head, seeing John Shelby stand in front of you with a smirk on his face. Suddenly Arthur Shelby appeared from behind him and upon seeing you he stumbled over to you, barely able to stand. If it weren't for you catching him he would have ended up on the floor, but luckily you had managed to wrap your arms around his shoulder before he did so. You looked over to John with your eyebrow raised, hoping that he would take Arthur away from you or at least would help you support him so that he wouldn't end up on the floor.

 _ **"Why you here, Y/N?"**_ Arthur managed to ask, looking over to you.

 _ **"I desperately needed that glass of American whiskey."**_ You mumbled, looking over to him. He smiled at your response before standing up suddenly. You looked at him with a confused look as your arms left his shoulders.

 _ **"It's a good thing that Tommy ordered another box of it then."**_ A woman's voice spoke from next to John. You saw a brunette older looking woman stand next to John with Thomas and Michael next to her. You figured that the woman was Polly Shelby. Your father had told you about her, telling you that she was the one who led the Peaky Blinders when the boys were away in France.

 _ **"Come. We have a lot to discuss, don't we?"**_ She said with venom in her voice as she walked towards a room that was opened for her immediately. The boys followed her close by as you stood still, confusion written onto your face.

You simply wanted a glass of whiskey, not some gathering of a family you weren't even a part of. With a deep sigh you grabbed your purse as you walked into the room, closing the door after you.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

The tension in the room was so thick that it could have been cut with a knife. For a while the room was silent, not one person saying anything. The only thing taking place in the room was glaring. Polly glared at you with an angry look, as did Thomas. Michael and John glanced at everyone while Arthur simply tried to hold his eyes open. No one dared to say anything until Polly started talking to you.

 _ **"So, you're the daughter of Raimond Pierce."**_ She simply said, staring at you up and down just like she was assessing you from the scale of one to ten.

 _ **"You're saying it like it's a bad thing."**_ You found yourself replying to her, catching both her and everyone else off guard. Everyone guessed that you knew about Polly Shelby and about the fact that she was basically the brains behind the operation. Due to that no one thought that you dared to talk back at her and honestly, neither did you.

 _ **"Well, you tell me. What are you planning?"**_ She asked with her usual tone. You simply stared at her, feeling yourself getting angrier with every passing word that she said.

 _ **"Planning? You think I fucking planned this? You think that I want to get married to anyone from the fucking Shelby family?"**_ At this point your voice raised with every word as you stood up, glancing at every member in the room before your eyes landed on Polly. She looked quite stunned over the fact that you dared to yell at her, at Polly Shelby, a person who could kill her in a second. Thomas stared at you, his face betraying no emotions. John had a smirk plastered onto his face while Michael's face betrayed also no emotions. Due to your yelling Arthur was now wide awake, seeming to be just as shocked as Polly was.

Thomas was the one to act, standing up as he pointed his finger towards you.

 _ **"Don't you dare talk to her like that."**_ He angrily said. If looks could kill you would have been dead for a hundred times straight. You let out a chuckle before you walked over to the door, your attention at Thomas.

 _ **"Or what? What will you do? Because let's be honest here, you won't do shit. Because if you did, you would have a bloody war on your hands. I'm assuming that the last thing you want right now."**_ You explained as your hand landed on the doorknob, slightly twisting it and causing the door to open. Before you walked out of the door you turned yourself back to Polly who hadn't said a word to you after your outburst.

 _ **"If you want someone to blame, blame your own bloody family. They were the ones who caused this all."**_ You said before you walked out of the room, slamming it shut as you walked out of the bar.

* * *

Arthur Shelby was the first person to say anything after you walked out of the room, not even glancing back at them when doing so.

 _ **"She really is the daughter of Raimond Pierce."**_ He simply said as he laid his head on top of the table, feeling a desperate need to fall asleep.

 _ **"She's tough, that's for sure."**_ Polly remarked as she took a sigarette and lighted it. As much as she hated admitting it, you reminded her of herself when she was younger. But the thought of you marrying someone from her family didn't appeal to her. Even if the marriage would be as a mean to make peace. They had done it before, marrying John off. Why couldn't they do it again, especially when it would mean the union of two most powerful families in Birmingham?

 _ **"She would most definately survive in the Shelby family."**_ John said. Tommy rolled his eyes as he downed his drink, lighting his own cigarette while looking at Polly. Her opinion mattered the most to him, and he desperately wanted to know what she thought about the whole thing.

 _ **"Who do you plan to make her marry?"**_ Polly asked, his eyes landing on Thomas. Tommy took a deep puff of his cigarette before exhaling the smoke from his mouth. Who would be the one to marry her? John and Arthur fell off the list, as did he. Finn was one of the potential candidates, even though he was a couple of years younger than she was. His eyes stopped at Michael who sat in silence as he sipped on his drink. He had to admit, Michael was the perfect candidate. He was a year or two older than her and he definately matched with her personality. The only problem was Polly. There was no way she would let her son marry Y/N Pierce, even if it meant everlasting peace between the two rivals.

 _ **"Michael."**_

* * *

 _ **"No bloody way, Tommy. I won't let you do it."**_ Polly was the one to respond, her eyes shooting daggers at Tommy. Michael looked at him with a shocked expression on his face. Out of all the people in the Shelby family, why would Thomas choose him? Not that marrying you was appaling. He thought you gorgeous, possibly one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. You were elegant, yet you weren't as stiff as other women in England were. You weren't afraid to have fun.

And your personality. That was something Michael grately admired. You weren't afraid to step out for yourself and to defend yourself. But the truth was that Michael did not want to marry, not even with a woman as gorgeous as you were. He hadn't been in the business for long, and that was the thing he wanted to focus on at the moment.

 _ **"Don't I get a say in this?"**_ He questioned. John next to him stiffled a chuckle as a way of him saying that 'if I didn't get to say anything, then you can only dream about it'.

 _ **"Look Michael-"**_ Thomas began to explain, but stopped when Michael quickly stood up, leaving the room and not even bothering to hear what he wanted to say. He went to the bar from where he grabbed a bottle of whiskey, taking it with him as he left the Garrison, his family left behind arguing with each other.


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

As soon as you exited The Garrison you knew you should have walked away from the place as quickly as possible. Yet the thought of going home didn't seem really appealing to you and because of that you decided to take as much time as possible till going home. You walked away from door, allowing the drunken people to enter the building. The first thing you did after stopping was pulling a pack of cigarettes from your purse, lighting it and taking a deep inhale of the cigarette. You weren't a huge smoker, finding yourself grabbing a pack of cigarettes every once in a while, especially when you were nervous or angry. And angry you were.

You walked over to a chair that you spotted a little further from The Garrison, sitting on it as you crossed your legs. Your eyes wandered around your surroundings, seeing quite many people walking in and out of the pub. It seemed to be a quite popular place, yet everyone was scared of the Shelby's. Why in the name of God did they visit the place if they were afraid of its owners?

You were deep in thought and due to that you didn't even notice one of the Shelby's spotting you and making their way towards you. As soon as Michael walked out of the pub he saw you sitting alone, deciding to have a chat with you, maybe even a glass of whiskey or two since it seemed that you needed it even more than he did. He stopped in front of you, and that was the moment you noticed him, silently cursing yourself for not leaving the place.

 _ **"You mind if I sit?"**_ He asked, pointing towards another empty chair that was placed opposite of yours. You rolled your eyes at his question. He basically owned the chair, if anything you should have asked him whether it was okay for you to sit there, not the other way around.

 _ **"Go ahead."**_ You simply replied, continuing to smoke your cigarette as you looked away from him. You felt him stare at you, but continued to look at the passing people. A part of you wanted to say something, but the other part of you told you to remain silent. Besides, what would you say to him? You didn't know who he was besides the fact that he was Polly's son and the Shelby's cousin. Other than that you didn't know anything about the man, nor did you really care. Your head was filled with different thoughts, not one of them featuring the man who was currently sitting in front of you.

 _ **"Are you always this silent?"**_ He asked you, forcing you to look at him. There was a certain handsomeness in the man, but what strike out were his eyes. You were sure that if you were to look into his eyes you would simply drown in them.

Clearing your throat you decided not to answer to his question. Instead you pointed at his bottle, a smirk on your face.

 _ **"Mind if I drink a little? I didn't get my American whiskey after all."**_ You asked and with a chuckle Michael passed the bottle to you. You took a large sip from it before placing the bottle onto the table between the two of you.

 _ **"I'm sorry you know. About the whole situation you are in."**_ He said, causing you to look at him. He apologizing for something he wasn't guilty of caught you off guard. You gave him a small smile before finishing your cigarette and extinguishing it. A chuckle escaped your lips as you turned yourself towards Michael, a smile on your face.

 _ **"So, who's the lucky guy I'm marrying?"**_ You found yourself asking. Surely he was aware of who the person was since you weren't. You weren't speaking to your father, and even if you were you were more than sure that he wouldn't tell you the person's name.

 _ **"Me."**_ He simply replied, downing the whiskey down from his throat. Your mouth fell open as you stared at him. Gaining your composure you muttered 'bloody hell' to yourself, but still loud enough for him to hear you. He looked at you with a raised eyebrow as you realized that you came off very rudely due to your response.

 _ **"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure you're a nice guy, it's just-"**_ You stopped midway, not bothering to finish your sentence. He seemed to understand what you meant as he let out a deep sigh.

 _ **"Believe me, I know."**_

* * *

Your father's men rushing past you was the first sight you saw when you entered your house. They simply glanced at you as they left the house, not even bothering to say anything to you. You were confused, thinking that something serious had happened while you were away. You saw Lucas standing near you as you decided to ask him what was happening. When he spotted you he let out a deep sigh, clearly relived to see you.

 _ **"Bloody hell Y/N, where were you? Your father was worried sick."**_ Lucas explained as you stood dumb-folded, unsure of what the problem was. You had stayed out maximum three hours, and it wasn't like you hadn't been out without guards before.

When your father saw you standing there safely he exhaled deeply. He knew he had to try to talk to you, had to try to explain you why he had done what he had done. It wasn't because he didn't love you - he did, he just didn't show it. He was harsh on you because he at some point he would disappear from this world and leave you alone. He wanted you to be ready for when the moment came; he wanted you to be ready to lead the Pierce gang.

 _ **"Y/N? Come to my cabinet please."**_ Raimond Pierce said, his voice sounding a lot softer than it usually was. You looked over to him, sending a glance at Lucas before you walked into the cabinet, your father closing the doors after you.

You stood still, your arms crossed in front of your chest, waiting for him to say whatever he wanted to say. He silently sat into his chair, his eyes landing on you. For a second he thought about what to say, realizing that whatever he said would not be okay.

 _ **"I'm sorry."**_ And that was it. You couldn't believe that those were the only words your father said to you after sending you basically off to marry someone you didn't even know. You knew that even saying those words took a lot from him since he was never a person who apologized for anything really.

 _ **"You're sorry? That really eases the situation that you are forcing me into. That's nice that you're sorry, but what about me? Did you ever think about what I wanted? Marrying someone I don't know isn't what I bloody want."**_ You yelled as a tear rolled down your cheek. Never in the past had you cried in front of your father. 'We're gangsters Y/N, we don't have any emotions.' that's what your father would say to you. Yet the tear escaped from your eye, but you wiped it quickly away. You would not cry in front of Raimond Pierce.

With a deep breath you calmed yourself down as you looked at your father who looked at you with a stunned expression on his face.

 _ **"I will marry a Shelby on one condition: you will teach me everything there is to know about races, about how to lead a gang. And I will marry one month from this date. Do we have a deal?"**_ You asked your father. Raimond looked at you, finding it surprising that you would dare to blackmail something out of him. But he needed a way so that you would forgive him, and that was it.

 _ **"Deal."**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Today was the day. The day your father would finally involve you in the business. The day that you had waited for so long, and yet you couldn't force yourself to be really happy about it. It had came with a cost that's for sure. A cost that you would not rather pay but are forced to.

You and your father didn't speak a lot. The two of you would greet each other at the dining table and that was about it. You were still mad at him and he was still unsure how to get you to forgive him. A part of you was mad at him just to get back at him and to prove that he couldn't decide what you wanted, especially in the matters of the heart. You knew that at some point you had to forgive him, but today would not be the day.

When you walked out of your room you were greeted by the face of Thomas Shelby and Polly Shelby. They walked inside your father's cabinet before Raimond closed the door, stopping you from entering. You let out a huff as you stopped behind the door, ready to enter even though the idea of you joining them didn't suit your father.

When the main door of your house opened you whipped around, seeing Arthur in front of you along with Michael. The two of them were wearing smirks on their faces as they saw you stand behind the door of you father's cabinet. Their ultimate guess was that you were eavesdropping and you didn't even bother to explain why you were standing behind the door.

 _ **"What are you doing here?"**_ You asked as you walked closer to them, folding your arms in front of them. You raised your eyebrow, waiting for some kind of a response for either of them. Seeing you roll your eyes made Arthur laugh as he glanced at Michael who simply stood speechless.

 _ **"Relax Y/N. We're here because Tommy asked us to come with him."**_ Arthur explained as he took a seat in an armchair not too far from him.

 _ **"And why did Tommy ask you to come with him?"**_ You questioned. When a maid walked past him, not even glancing at him, Arthur followed her with his eyes, not even paying attention to you. You rolled your eyes as you glanced at Michael with a raised eyebrow. He simply smirked before he took a seat next to Arthur, hitting his arm as a way of trying to get back his attention.

 _ **"Your father didn't tell you?"**_ Arthur asked surprisingly as he turned his attention back to you. You sighed as you let your arms drop.

 _ **"What now?"**_ You asked, hoping that whatever it was it wouldn't be as bad as the last time which was when you found out that you were mysteriously engaged to a Shelby. Somehow you hadn't noticed Polly and Tommy who had exited the cabinet and were now standing near you. Polly lighted her cigarette, taking a drag before exhailing.

 _ **"You're coming to the races with us."**_

* * *

 _ **"When I asked you to involve me in the business this was not what I had in mind."**_ You remarked as you stared at your father. The Shelby's had left, giving you two hours to get ready for the races. He sighed defeatingly as he poured a glass of whiskey for himself before taking a long sip. Without thinking you slammed your arms on his desk, his eyes widening in surprise. He placed the glass down, his eyes looking straight into yours.

 _ **"You do not act like that around me. I've given you free passes, but don't push your limit. I rule the Pierce gang, not you, so don't forget your place."**_ Raimond spoke out, the harshness back in his voice. It was true; during the last few days he had been more softer around you, allowing you to do whatever you wanted while hoping that you would forgive him. Now, he was done waiting around for your forgiveness.

 _ **"Yes, sir."**_ You mumbled out as you rolled your eyes, taking you hands off the table as you took a seat against him. You stayed quiet, waiting for your father to explain why in the name of God were you going to the races with the Shelby gang.

 ** _"Why are you sending me to the races with the Shelby's?"_** You found yourself asking, not even bothering to hide the frustration in your voice. Raimond took a sip from the glass, waiting a little before answering like he was searching for the right words to say.

 _ **"You wanted to learn about the business. There is no one better to teach you but the Shelby's."**_ He muttered out, avoiding your eyes. You leaned back in your chair, glaring at your father.

 _ **"What did you talk about with Thomas and Polly?"**_ You asked, instantly regretting for asking. Your father never appreciated you being nosy, yet it was exactly the thing that you doing at the moment. His eyes found yours as he downed his drink before placing the glass onto the desk in front of you.

 ** _"That is none of your business. I told you before, don't test your limits. I may overlooked some things a couple of times, but I won't do so forever. So don't forget your place."_** He stated harshly. Without any warning you stood up from the chair, leaving the cabinet with your father looking at you leaving. You slammed the door shut behind yourself, letting out a sigh as you felt a tear roll down your cheek. You wiped it away angrily, forcing yourself not to cry. You were Y/N Pierce, and you were not going to cry over something your father said. After all, you had a race to get ready for, even if it was something you were going to attend with the Shelby's.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

It took you quite long to figure out the right outfit to wear. You had never been to the races, and you would be lying if you said that you weren't nervous. At some point you tried calling your friend Paula to ask for her help, but one of her maids had accepted the call, telling you that Paula was out with a boy. The two of you were very good friends, but surprisingly she had never told you anything about a boy. You decided not to question her about it as you were sure that she would tell you about him herself when the time was right. Finally you had to make the decision yourself, choosing a red dress as it was your favorite color. When you looked at yourself in the mirror you noticed the tiredness in your eyes. Nevertheless, you looked absolutely gorgeous, maybe even a little bit too fancy for a horse race. You consoled yourself with the fact that you were Y/N Pierce, and showing your status amongst other gangsters was never a bad thing.

You kept playing with the hem of your dress as you stood in front of your house, waiting for the Shelby's to arrive. Lucas stood near you, observing you from the corner of his eyes. He saw the nervousness in your eyes, but thought it was best if he did not approach you. After all you needed to deal with those kinds of situations on your own if you were ever to take over the Pierce business. Attending races was something that every gang leader had to do since a lot of money came from them, especially in your family.

You saw a black car drive in from the gates of your house. With a deep sigh you straightened your dress before folding your arms in front of your chest. The car came to a stop in front of you and you saw Arthur behind the wheel with Tommy next to him. You were guessing that they would bring Michael or at least John with them, but your guesses were fading when you saw only the two of them in the motor car. Tommy opened the door before stepping out, motioning for you to climb onto the back seat. You did as he said without saying anything. Arthur said a little hello to you which you kindly returned with a smile. Out of all the Peaky Blinders Arthur was the most welcoming towards you and you had nothing against him. The other Peaky Blinders were a whole new deal.

* * *

The car ride between the three of you was relatively quiet. Every once in a while Tommy talked about how to act at the races, but other than that nothing was said. You were sure that they noticed your nervousness, but what surprised you was that the two of them seemed to be nervous as well. Your guess was that something big had happened or was about to happen. There was no way the Shelby's would be worried about a horse race. Yet the two of them kept throwing glances at each other, Tommy even glancing at you every once in a while as a way to confirm whether you had noticed something was wrong or not. You surely weren't going to say anything. You had enough of problems on your own, and the business of the Peaky Blinders was something you didn't want to concern yourself with.

The car came to a quick stop in front of a large building. There were huge amount of people walking in and out of it and it seemed that every class of the society was represented. Arthur was the first one to jump out of the car, quickly walking away without saying anything. Tommy stayed put for a second before clearing his throat and opening the car door. He stepped out, holding out his hand for you to take. With a raised eyebrow you grabbed ahold of his hand before stepping out and releasing the hold on his arm.

 _ **"You look nice. Red suits you."**_ He mumbled before grabbing a pack of cigarettes from his pack and lighting one. He offered one to you which you gladly took. A cigarette was definitely something that would help you calm your nerves.

 _ **"Was that a sincere compliment from Thomas Shelby?"**_ You questioned with a hint of teasing in your voice. He glanced at the clock he was always wearing before staring at an unknown figure. The man was dressed in a military uniform and from his medals you saw that he was quite important.

 _ **"You'll only hear me say it once. If you tell anyone, I'll deny it."**_ He replied before walking forward towards the main stairs leading into the building. You forced yourself to smile before taking a drag from the cigarette and putting it out.

 _ **"Well, thank you. Glad to know my efforts paid off."**_ You said before following Tommy who led you into the building before taking off and leaving you all alone.

 _ **"So much for the fucking Shelby's."**_ You mumbled as you entered a restaurant, desperate for a drink. The race had not even begun and you were left alone. You hadn't even seen any of the Shelby's after they all abandoned you. How the hell were you supposed to learn anything about the races from them if they weren't even around?

* * *

You found the bar in the restaurant easily as you made your way to it. The bartender delivered your desired alcohol with a smile on his face before walking away from you to serve the other customers. You leaned on the counter, watching the people around you. They seemed to be quite happy as if they had no problems to deal with. Couples around you were laughing and smiling; people were eating and drinking with their friends or family. It was a beautiful sight which was ruined when a man who you guessed was an Italian started shouting at the waiter. He seemed to act like he owned the place and that's when you realized that the man was Sabini, the head of the Italian gang. Your father and Sabini were currently at war with each other and the fact that your family started working with Peaky Blinders did not ease the situation between the two rivaling gangs.

You downed your drink before slipping out of the room, desperately looking around the place to get a sight of at least one of the Shelby's. It didn't even matter which one. You walked away from the restaurant as you heard a man on the speakers announce that the race was about to begin. People around you started to go away to watch the race as you kept walking around. After some time you managed to notice Arthur. He did not see you as he kept walking away from you. With a determination you followed him, coming to a stop in front of the henchmen of the Blinders. John Shelby was present as well, quite surprised to see you there along with them.

 _ **"Why the hell didn't any of you tell me that Sabini owns this place?"**_ You asked rather loudly, startling Arthur who was standing near you with his back turned to you. He jumped around, grabbing your hand to pull you closer to them. You struggled against his grip while glaring daggers at him before surrendering and walking closer to them.

 _ **"Tommy was supposed to tell you."**_ Arthur answered with a hushed voice as his eyes kept wandering around the place. You huffed before folding your arms around your chest, looking from one member of the Peaky Blinders to another. A couple of them seemed to be quite uneasy about a Pierce being present while others did not even care to look at you.

 _ **"As you can see, Tommy is-"**_ You were stopped when a loud bang near you went off and people started running around with no purpose. A couple of seconds later the Blinders took off, Arthur and John staying behind as they both grabbed your hands, dragging you away from the scene.

 _ **"Sorry Y/N, we're quite busy at the moment. Go home."**_ John said before running away, Arthur right behind him. You stared at the scene around you, seeing people panicking while you remained quite calm, not even knowing what had happened. You turned around and just as you did so a bag was pulled onto your head as two men grabbed you. Before even managing to let out a scream the barrel of a gun hit your head, making everything around you pitch black.


	8. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 7_**

The first thing you did after opening your eyes was desperately gasp for air. The darkness around you was replaced by a beautifully decorated room. It looked quite fancy, indicating that your location was a house of somebody who owned quite a lot of money. When you tried to move you failed to do so due to the ropes that were used to tie up your hands and legs. You felt yourself panicking, unsure what to do to get out of the situation you were in. Someone would surely start looking for you when they noticed you were gone. The only problem was that no one knew where you were, including yourself.

The door flew open and you saw Sabini walk inside with his most trusted employee. The smile on Sabini's face indicated that he was very glad to see that you had been caught. After all, you were a valuable asset and a very powerful tool for negotiations. Kidnapping the daughter of one of the most powerful gangsters in Birmingham was surely a way to gain what he wanted. Every other parent would give their life for their child, yet as you sat on the stool you wondered whether the same applied to your father. There was a time in your life where you knew that he would do and give up anything for you, but ever since the death of your mother you weren't so sure. There was a huge strain between you and him like you were responsible for your mother's death which was not true at all. And as you sat on the stool you wondered whether your father would do anything to save you.

 ** _"Y/N Pierce. I have to say, this turned out even better than I expected it to."_** Sabini mumbled, grabbing a cigar and lighting it as he stood in front of you, his smile never leaving his face. It was more like a grin really; everything had gone according to his excpectations. Or like he had previously said, it turned out even better than excpected which left you feeling quite uneasy.

 _ **"Now the question is, what to do with you? Your father agreed to my terms, but that doesn't mean that I can't have some fun with you before letting you leave. After all, I didn't say anything about you missing a limb or two."** _ He announced, taking a drag of his cigar before it hit your skin, making you let out a high pitching scream.

* * *

 ** _"Sir, Thomas and Arthur Shelby are here to see you."_** Lucas announced as he stepped into your father's cabinet. He was sitting behind his desk, his arms spread wide on the table as he stared in front of him. For a second there was complete silence as Lucas stared at your father, unsure whether Raimond had heard what he had said or not.

 ** _"Sir, The Shelb-"_** He started again, but stopped when Raimond Pierce grabbed his drink from the table and downing it in one go. He jumped up, walking out of the room and past Lucas. As he entered the main hall he saw Thomas and Arthur Shelby stand still, their eyes fixated on him. Without even blinking he went to Thomas as he grabbed him by his collar, inches away from hitting him which he desperately wanted to do.

 ** _"You were supposed to watch over her."_** Raimond exclamed as he stared into Tommy's cold blue eyes. There was no emotion in Tommy's eyes, yet he did feel guilty, not that he would admit that to anyone. He was supposed to watch over you, but he let his own vendetta get the best of him. Now, because of that, you were missing as no one had no idea where your were. If anything happened to you he wouldn't forgive himself. Besides, that would mean a war on his hands, more innocent blood on his hands which he couldn't bear to think about.

From the corner of his eyes Raimond Pierce saw Arthur step closer to him, ready to tear him off of Thomas. Thomas on the other hand did not even blink and for a second Raimond was sure that he did _indeed_ want to get punched. Instead he let go of him, stepping away from Thomas and turning his attention towards Arthur.

 ** _"Sabini called me an hour ago. He wants 10,000 pounds for Y/N."_** He announced, his hand going through his hair as he let out a loud sigh.

 ** _"I'm going to meet him in half an hour._**

* * *

A tear slipped down your cheek when Sabini stared deep into your eyes, a smirk on his face. Yet as you stared at him the only thing you wished was that your hands were free so that you could wipe away that tear. You were Y/N Pierce, and letting Sabini see you cry was humiliating to say the least. Sabini stepped away from you, turning his back towards you as he went over to a desk, taking a glass before smashing it against the table. Small pieces of glass flew everywhere before he picked up one of the small pieces, wrapping his handkerchief around it before walking back to you. He placed the glass onto your cheek, and as on cue you closed your eyes. You were scared, terrified even and couldn't dare to open your eyes. He applied slight pressure onto the glass, but not enough to cut into your cheek.

 ** _"Tell me Y/N, who will save you now?"_** He asked, a chuckle escaping his lips. You didn't reply, desperately waiting for the pain to come. But it didn't. Instead you heard a loud thud and as you sat in the stool you were hoping that when you opened your eyes you would see your father standing in front of you. But when you opened them the first thing you saw was Sabini lying on the ground, the back on his head bloody. For a second you thought he was dead before you saw his chest slowly moving.

The second thing you saw was Sabini's trusted employee also lying on the ground a couple of feet away from you. You couldn't detect any visible wounds on him which led you to believe that he was drugged or something of that sort. The third thing you saw was an unknown man, all in black, staring at you. In his hands was a bloody gun, probably the one that he used to hit Sabini with. For a couple of seconds the two of you stared at each other, him completely quiet while you tried to slow your breathing down.

Without any warning he started walking towards you, and when he reached you he cut off the ropes around your hands before doing the same to the ropes around your feet. The man was quiet, not saying anything or not even paying slight attention to you. The second he cut you loose you grabbed your wrists, wincing in pain, yet trying to hide it as well as you could.

 ** _"Did the Shelby's send you?"_** You asked, looking at him. His instant reply was a smirk appearing onto his face before he hid it, taking Sabini's handkierchief and wiping the barrel of his gun clean.

 ** _"You can tell your father that Mr. Solomon will contact him to figure out the reward for saving you."_** He said before walking out of the door, leaving you all alone into the room with an unconcious Sabini and his employee.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

It took you some time to get over the shock, but when you did you ran out of the door, stopping before to take the guard's gun with you. You mentally thanked Lucas for his shooting lessons he had organized some time ago. It was logical that a gangster knew how to shoot, cue the reason why Lucas decided to teach you. The gun in your hands gave you a lot of confidence, yet you couldn't stop your hands from shaking as you walked around the house.

You had no idea how to get out, and anyone could have bumped into you any second, making you quite anxious. As you made your way down the stairs you saw guards on the ground, dead. You figured it was the man from before who was responsible for their deaths, and you couldn't help but to feel grateful. There was a possibility that you could have ended up dead, or missing a couple of fingers if that man hadn't walked in. Yet the fact that he was under the payroll of Alfie Solomons made you nervous to say the least. You had heard many crazy stories about Alfie, and so far considered them to be true. The fact that he was an ally of the Shelby's calmed you down a little, but the nervousness still didn't fully disappear. There was no way to tell what Alfie Solomons could want from you or your father. Without blinking twice you ran out of the door, running into more dead guards as you made your way as far away as possible from the house owned by Sabini.

* * *

When Raimond Pierce arrived at the meeting place, a suitcase in his hands with 10,000 pounds in it, he was quite sure he wouldn't leave the place alive. Sabini was crazy to say the least, but what made him worry more was the fact that he was unexpected. Yet the only thing Raimond could think about was you and your safety. He wanted you safe and alive, not caring at all what happened to him. Of course he took some people along with him, Lucas included, but it still wasn't enough to calm him down.

When he arrived at the meeting place chosen by Sabini he grew even more anxious as he noticed that not one of the Italians were there. Because of that he was more than sure that the meeting was a trap, and he wouldn't have been surprised if he were gunned down in the matter of seconds. Yet he couldn't force himself to lose hope. There was still a slight possibility that they were slightly late.

When 20 minutes had passed and there was no sight of the Italians Raimond was forced to admit that you were most possibly dead. The Italians had never missed a meeting during the time the two of them were allies, and even when they were at war, so the only possible explanation was that they missed this one because they couldn't present Raimond his daughter alive. Lucas appeared next to Raimond, placing a hand onto his shoulder and taking a deep breath.

 _ **"We should go, sir."**_ He simply said, removing his hand before starting to walk back to the car. Raimond stood still, staring straight ahead of him with a dead look in his eyes. He knew that there was a possibility that when he got home he would be greeted by your dead body in the house, or something else. And that was a sight he was most definitely not ready to see.

* * *

As you walked on the streets of Birmingham you were greeted by people staring at you like you were a lunatic. You were sure that you definitely looked the part - your hair was tangled and there was not one indication of the curls that had been there a day before; your face looked pale like you hadn't slept or eaten for a day, which was basically true; and the fact that your dress was ripped at some parts didn't help. Besides, there was a gun in your hands which you tried your best to hide under a coat you had grabbed from Sabini's place. The streets of Birmingham were cold, and it was practically winter. The last thing you wanted and needed was to freeze to death before you could even reach your home.

For a moment you wondered what your next step should be - would it have been safer to go straight home, or to find one of the Shelby's first? You were more than sure that when Sabini wakes up he would start hunting you down, and going to your house would be the first thing he would do since he would probably think you went straight home. But if you went to the Shelby's you would put them in danger as well. But then again they were already at war with the Italians, so you going there would probably not change anything, not for the better nor for the worst. Therefore the next obvious step for you was to find one of the Shelby's.

It only seemed logical that you would try to find them at The Garrison which was a logical place for at least one of them to be. People continued to give you weird looks as you walked past them, but you couldn't care less. The only thing that mattered was your safety, and you knew that you would be safe at The Garrison.

* * *

As you were about to enter the pub a man stopped you, placing a hand in front of the door.

 _ **"There's a private party inside. You invited?"**_ He asked with a rough voice as the cigarette in his mouth almost dropped onto the ground. He drew his hand back, cursing silently as you decided to simply walk into the pub. Slipping past him you walked inside the pub, seeing a party in full swing before your eyes. You felt hands around your arm, and looking back you saw the same man from outside trying to drag you back into the cold. Before he could do so you heard a familiar voice tell the guard to let you in. He let go before returning to his original post.

Michael appeared in front of you, relief in his eyes as he saw that you were alive. When he saw in what condition you were the relief in his eyes was replaced by pure concern as he gently took your hand, leading you to an empty corner and away from the partying people. Without thinking you wrapped your arms around him as tears started rolling down your cheeks. You tried so hard not to cry in front of him, but you couldn't stop yourself from doing so. He silently wrapped his arms around you, a hand gently smoothing your back while the other one was brushing your hair.

 _ **"You're safe, Y/N."**_ He whispered as your hold around him tightened. You felt him turn his head, and when you followed his gaze you saw Polly stand next to the two of you, her eyes not betraying any emotions. You quickly let go of Michael as you wiped the tears away. Without any warning she grabbed your hand, dragging you inside a small room and forcing you to sit onto the couch. Michael followed the two of you without saying anything. Polly sat against you before grabbing a cigarette and lighting it.

 _ **"Michael, bring a bottle of whiskey. And two glasses."**_ She commanded, taking a drag from the cigarette. Michael shortly returned with the items his mother asked him to bring, placing them onto the table and taking a seat next to Polly. She opened the bottle, pouring the two glasses full before handing you one. With your hands shaking you took the glass gratefully, taking a long sip before placing the glass back.

 _ **"Did Sabini hurt you?"**_ She asked, her voice even sounding slightly concerned. You instantly replied, shaking your head. Besides the fact that he had burnt your arm he hadn't really hurt you. Yet for some reason you couldn't bear to show yourself as a weak woman, cue the reason why you decided not to say anything.

 _ **"Why are there burn marks on your arm then?"**_ She continued questioning, her eyes landing on your arm. Michael followed her gaze, seeing multiple red circular dots on your arm. Without replying you grabbed your arm, or how much was left of it, trying to cover the burns as well as you could.

 _ **"I'm fine."**_ You simply replied, your eyes landing on Polly. She let out a sigh before taking a sip of her drink. She put out her cigarette before turning to you, a small smile on her face.

 _ **"I think it's about time we got you home."**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

When Raimond Pierce arrived back at the mansion - that was perhaps a little too big just for the two of you - he found no one there. A sigh of relief left his lips, yet he couldn't stop but to feel even more anxious than he was before. You were nowhere to be found, and neither was Sabini. A couple of Raimond's men left to follow Sabini and his most closest guards, and everyone came back empty-handed. No one was aware of your and Sabini's location. Raimond was only left to guess that the two of you were together, yet there was nothing he could be sure about. Even though he was extremely worried for your life, he didn't tell anyone of his worries, not even to Lucas who was perhaps considered to be his best friend.

After barking some orders to his men to go and drive around the city he stormed into his cabinet, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and a glass along with him. He began to see the error of his ways, began to see how wrongly he had acted towards you, began to see how he couldn't live with himself if something happened to you. He began to realize how harsh he had been towards you about something that wasn't even your fault and understanding how you had every right to be angry at him for everything, especially because of him forcing a marriage upon you. He desperately wanted you to walk in the cabinet unharmed, so that he could tell you that he saw the error of his ways. But after ten minutes, which turned quickly into twenty, no one had stepped into the room. Raimond Pierce simply had no choice but to wait silently for news, for any news, whether they were good or bad.

* * *

Michael had volunteered to take you home after you showed up in the pub. At first Polly ordered a couple of the Blinders to take you home, but Michael disagreed, arguing that it was safer for you if he was the one to take you back to the mansion. Honestly, you didn't care. The only thing you wanted was to lay in your bed without any care in the world. You wanted to see your father who perhaps hadn't done anything to save you. You didn't know for sure, and that was the last thing on your mind.

The car ride between you and Michael was a silent one since there wasn't anything for you to say to each other. After today everything would go back to like it was before, you still being engaged to Michael. Hell, you were _still_ engaged to Michael as you were sitting in the car. Neither of you had no idea how to get over the fact that the two of you were forced into a marriage, and neither of you knew how to act towards each other.

You simply stared out of the window, taking in all of the buildings you weren't sure you would see again. A small smile appeared onto your face as you observed every little thing around you; from the corner of your eye you could have sworn you saw Michael glance at you and discreetly smirk, yet you decided not to pay any attention to that.

 _ **"Thank you. For everything."**_ You suddenly blurted out, turning your head to look at him. He was forced to look at you, and for a second the two of you simply stared into each other's eyes.

 _ **"No problem."**_ He replied, focusing his attention back on the road. You felt a smile appear onto your face as you decided not to fight against it. There was a sudden change of air between the two of you, as if the thought of marrying wasn't that repulsive towards you like it had been before.

* * *

After driving for what it felt forever you saw your house come into view. For some unquestionable reason you felt yourself becoming nervous. You had no idea how your father would greet you, and it still remained unknown to you if he even knew about your abduction. Yet a sigh of relief escaped your lips when you saw the familiar guards open the large gates in front of your house, and you saw the relief in their eyes as well as in their smiles directed to you.

The car came to a stop and for a second you simply sat there, afraid to move. You glanced at Michael who looked at you with a small smile on his face, waiting for you to make your next move. Forcing a smile onto your face you grabbed Michael's hand, giving it a light squeeze before walking out of the car. Without delaying you practically stormed inside of the building before coming to a stop in front of your father's cabinet. You raised your hand to knock on the door, but decided against it, simply entering the room. There you saw your father sitting on a couch, glass of whiskey in his hands as he stared at the fireplace in front of him. He looked quite miserable; you hadn't seen him that miserable since your mother died.

Raimond slowly turned his head towards you, shock written onto his face. That shock was quickly replaced with relief, and without saying anything he stood up and walked over to you. He quickly pulled you into a hug, breathing in your scent as if he was scared he wouldn't be able to do so later. You stood still for a split second before returning the hug. You couldn't stop the tears from flowing down your cheeks. He pulled away, and with a smile he wiped your tears away, giving a kiss onto your forehead.

 _ **"It's okay Y/N, you're safe now. You're home."**_


	11. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 10_**

The anxiety, the fear of Sabini finding you didn't leave you. Even though you knew for a fact he wouldn't be able to reach you inside of the comforts of your home you remained scared, scared for your life as well as of the people close to you. At home you would be safe, but you couldn't stay there for all of your life. You kept telling yourself that your father was going to find Sabini and make him pay for what he did to you when in fact you weren't so sure of it. You were sure that your father would search for him, but Sabini had always had the ability to disappear without leaving any trace behind.

The fear caused you to wake up in the night, letting out a loud scream that was perhaps even heard outside. You wouldn't stop yelling until your father barged in, wrapping you into his arms as he tried his best to calm you down. Loud sobs escaped your lips as he calmly held you in his arms, the two of you rocking back and forth. You didn't remember when you fell asleep again, but when you woke up in the morning you remembered that your father had been next to you. There were no signs that he had been in your room the night before, yet you knew for a fact that he had helped you through the night. You couldn't even remember the last time he had hugged you, let alone comforted you - it certainly had been a while, perhaps even too long.

You decided not to mention the previous night to your father, unless he was to speak of it first. After getting dressed you decided to grab yourself a cup of tea and perhaps a little snack, although the fact that you weren't hungry was an understatement. When you went downstairs you saw that your friend Paula was sitting in the kitchen, a huge pie in front of you. Upon your arrival she ran to you, wrapping her arms around you. You flinched at her touch, causing her to take a step back. She observed you with a worried look in her eyes which she quickly wiped away, a smile appearing onto her face.

 ** _"I am so happy that you are alright."_** She chimed, forcing you to smile at her happiness. Without any warning she grabbed your arm, leading you near the kitchen island where the pie she had made was placed.

 ** _"I made you your favorite pie_**." She exclaimed, grabbing two dessert forks from the cupboard. She knew the insides and outsides of the house like the back of her hand, hence the reason why she knew where what was placed. You mumbled your thanks, although you were unable to take a bite of it. The sight of food made your stomach hurl, and you felt like you were about to throw up at any second. Besides that, the pain in your arm remained, mostly because of the long sleeves of the dress you were wearing. You had no desire to let anyone see the red scars of the burns Sabini had caused, and you were in no mood to cover it up with a little bit of makeup.

 ** _"I'm sorry Paula, I need to get out of here_**." You muttered, practically running out of the house, leaving a confused Paula staring after you.

* * *

You had run out of the house without any clear destination in your mind. You simply walked around the town, two of your father's guards behind you. Even though you had tried sneaking out, one of the men noticed you and stopped you. Although you wanted to be alone you had to admit that it made sense for them to be around you, so that the previous situation wouldn't repeat itself.

You passed The Garrison, and for a second you stopped to stare at the building. You felt quite comfortable in the pub, not minding the fact that it belonged to the Shelby's. You debated whether to enter or not, deciding against it. As you started walking off you heard someone yelling your name loudly. Whipping around you saw Michael along with Isaiah in front of the pub, holding the doors open. You heard Michael tell Isaiah to go inside without him, and that he would follow him soon. Michael walked over to you, his hands in his pockets as he stopped in front of you.

 ** _"Miss Pierce. How are you holding up_**?" He asked, the corners of his lips turning up. You simply stared at him, unsure of what to tell him. Physically you were more or so alright, emotionally – you were a train wreck.

 ** _"I'm...somewhat alright."_** You decided to tell him, although he did not seem convinced. Meanwhile Isaiah had appeared outside, yelling at Michael to join him for a drink. He simply brushed him off, his eyes never even bothering to look at him.

 ** _"Do you want to join us for a drink?"_** He suddenly blurted out, mentally cursing himself. Yet a smirk appeared onto his face as he silently waited for your response.

 ** _"Sure."_**

* * *

 ** _"Here they are, look, junior Peaky boys."_** You heard Arthur yell even before you had managed to step inside of the building. As soon as they saw you the three Shelby brothers – John, Arthur and Finn – fell silent, not daring to say anything. You walked over to them with a smile on your face as to assure them that what had happened with Sabini was not their fault. Although in some ways it was, you didn't have it in you to blame them. If Sabini wanted, he would have caught you whenever and wherever so that no one would have been able to stop him.

 ** _"Y/N, I'm terribly sor-"_** John started, but stopped when you held your hand up as a sign for him to stop.

 ** _"John, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault, Arthur. It wasn't anyone's fault. I'm alive and fine."_** You stated, even though you were more than sure that you were trying to assure yourself more than them. The atmosphere had changed quickly to depressing after your arrival, and that was the last thing you wanted. If you wanted to be depressed, you could have moped in your house. Instead, you were looking for a way to forget your trouble, even if it was for only a night.

From the corner of your eye you saw Michael sending a glare to Arthur and John which they simply brushed off. His hand was placed onto your lower back as he led you over to a table, stopping for a minute to grab two glasses and a bottle of whiskey with him. He allowed you to sit first before sitting next to you, pouring both of the glasses full. With a smile on your face you clank your glass with his before sipping at your drink silently. You observed the other Shelby's, seeing that their previous mood was slowly re-appearing. Isaiah had joined him, joking around with Finn, both of them with drinks in their hands.

 ** _"Are you alright? What happened to you?"_** You suddenly blurted out, seeing that Michael's head was a bleeding a little. Your hand instantly travelled to his wound to which he turned his head as your eyes met with his. He looked surprised at your action, and with a little cough you withdrew your hand, grabbing a napkin from the table and walking over to the bar. You asked the barmen for a little ice, and when you walked back to him you wrapped it into the napkin, holding the ice on his wound. He allowed that to happen, but when Arthur and John walked over to the two of you he grabbed the napkin into his hands. The two older Shelby's shared a look before taking a seat across from you.

 ** _"What's happened to you? You been scrapping?"_** Arthur questioned, motioning at Michael's wound.

 ** _"Some idiots at the Marquis of Lorne. Tried to stop me and Isaiah from drinking, but it's alright. We fought them off."_** Michael explained. He couldn't even finish his sentence before Arthur and John stood up, both of them downing their drinks before walking off. You shared a look with Michael, instantly knowing what the two them were about to do. Isaiah walked over to the two of you, sitting in Arthur's previous seat.

 ** _"Shame. It was a nice pub."_**

* * *

About five – or maybe it was eight – drinks later you were fully enjoying yourself. You had even forgotten the presence of your bodyguards, glancing at them from time to time. They looked extremely bored while you were full of laughter as you, Michael and Isaiah sat at the same spot you had managed to get earlier.

 ** _"I don't know about you boys, but I feel like dancing_**." You stated, downing the last of your drink in your glass before taking your heels off. There was a small crowd of people, mostly young men, already dancing. When they noticed you coming to join them they decided to change the theme of the dance, opting for a simple dance that was mostly danced in villages all around England. You felt extremely happy and full of joy as you danced along with the unknown men and a couple of women. You felt all of your troubles flying away as you simply felt free to do whatever you wanted. You caught the eye of Michael who had stared at you from the moment you stepped onto the dancefloor. You instantly smiled, which he quickly returned. Without any warning he stepped up, walking over to you to join the dance. You motioned over to Isaiah to join who simply shook his head, yelling at you that he didn't dance. With a shared look between you and Michael the two of you walked over to him, literally grabbing him onto the floor. The three of you spent the whole night together, and when you finally reached your house you collapsed onto your bed, drifting into deep slumber.

If only you had known what was about to happen the next day.


	12. Chapter 11

_**Warnings: Mention of death**_

 _ **Chapter 11**_

The first thing you heard in the morning was a loud bang, followed by multiple gunshots. You jolted up, running over to the window to see what was going on outside. Your father's guards were shooting at a bunch of men, who you assumed were Sabini's. Your father's favorite car was on fire, and not long after seeing it explode another car drove through the gates in front of your house. A couple of men came out of it, shooting at your father's guards. When one of them got hit you let out a loud sob, your hand covering your mouth. You felt yourself slightly panicking as you wondered what you were supposed to do to get out of the situation alive.

 ** _"Okay Y/N, relax."_** You said under your breath, letting out a deep breath before running over to your cupboard at the side of your bed. You opened the first drawer, pulling out a gun that you were given by your father for your fifteenth birthday. For a second you closed your eyes, focusing on the multiple shooting lessons Lucas had given you. _"Aim for the middle or the head. If you need to wound someone, shoot at the leg."_ His voice and his words rang in your head as you forced yourself to relax. There was no way you were getting out of the situation alive if you remained a panicking mess. You desperately wished for your father's presence, or at least Lucas's, but you had no clue where the two of them were. With a decision to take the matters into your own hands you exited your room, but not before grabbing an extra magasin along with you. Who knows how many shots you were forced to shoot, and running out of ammunition was the worst mistake you could possibly make.

You didn't bother to grab a piece of clothing to cover your pajamas – that seemed the least of your problems. You held the gun confidently in your hand as you made your way downstairs. Yells along with gunshots were still heard outside, but what alerted you was someone breaking the glass doors that led into your living room. You quickly hid yourself behind a wall as you felt your heartbeat quicken. You heard a man in your living room say something in Italian – you weren't sure in his words, but you could have sworn one of his words was 'ragazza'. And that proved your previous suspicions – Sabini was behind the attack, and that meant that he was somewhere around your house along with his men.

From the corner of your eye you saw one of the men next to you, and before he could react you hit his face with your elbow, an action that caused him to let out a yell. With the barrel of your gun you kicked him at the back of his head to which he fell onto the floor unconscious. You felt the adrenaline kick in as you grabbed his gun before walking over to the living room. The glass doors were completely shattered, and the glass was lying around the floor. Since you weren't wearing any shoes you decided not to exit through the same doors, and opted for the door of your kitchen instead. When you finally made your way outside a horrifying sight appeared in front of your eyes – there were dead bodies lying around along with some injured men who tried their best to cover their wounds. At this point you couldn't set apart your guards and Sabini's men. Bullets were covering the ground along with pieces of your father's gun that the explosion had splattered apart.

Not too far from you you saw Anthony, a guard that was not too much older than you. His shirt was covered with red as he sat on the ground, gripping his wound. His back rested on the wall of your house and there was a dead look in his eyes. You simply ran over to him, tearing your top in half as you covered the wound with the other half. He didn't even seem to notice you as he continued staring straight in front of him. There wasn't anything there except for a tree, but his eyes didn't leave it. He seemed completely mesmerized by it, like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

 ** _"Anthony, hey. Look at me."_** You said, grabbing his head into your hands. The action seemed to pull him out of his trance as his eyes met yours.

 ** _"I promise you, I'm not letting anything happen to you. But I need you to hold the cloth on your wound until I find something else, okay? Can you do it for me?"_** You quickly asked. With a small smile on his face he nodded, replacing your hand on his stomach. You stood up, running back towards your house. You didn't make it very far, because a gunshot forced you to turn around. Sabini stood in front of Anthony, a gun in his hand. Anthony's eyes were staring at you, his lifeless body on the ground.

* * *

 ** _"You have cost me a lot of my men, Y/N."_** Sabini exclaimed in anger as he gripped your hair, pulling you back into the living room with him. He threw you straight on the glass which caused you to let out a yelp. The glass was straight under your hands, and when you looked at them you saw blood dripping down your arms. You weren't sure what to do – the whole situation seemed hopeless. Yet the only thing you could think about was Anthony's eyes staring at you. He was dead because of you, and the guilt was already too much to bear. You would have started crying if Sabini wasn't there with you, but he was. And there was no way you were going to give him the satisfaction to see you cry.

 ** _"Where's your father?"_** He now asked, appearing in front of you. A gun was placed into his hands, and you couldn't stop but to stare at it. He seemed to notice it, since the next thing he did was place the gun onto your forehead.

 ** _"You have three seconds to answer me. Where's your father?"_** He asked again. You simply glared at him, clenching your jaw without saying anything.

 ** _"No one is coming to save you, Y/N. Don't make me kill you."_** He dictated, cocking the gun tighter in his hands. You saw his finger rest on the trigger as you let out a sigh.

 ** _"One.."_** He started counting. At the same time you jabbed a piece of glass into his thigh. He dropped the gun onto the floor, his hands finding the huge piece of glass in his thigh. With a hiss he pulled it out of it as he started coming towards you. He stopped however as he saw you straight in front of him, his gun in your hands.

 ** _"I'm Y/N Pierce. I don't need saving."_** You said as you pulled the trigger without any hesitation.


	13. Chapter 12

**_Chapter 12_**

Raimond Pierce was shocked, to say the least, when he arrived back at the mansion. He along with Lucas had been with Thomas Shelby and Polly all morning to talk about the deal the two families had made. So when he arrived back at the house the only thing he could find was dead bodies lying around on every corner. He had no clue that there had been an attack on his place, and because of that the sight was something he had not expected to see.

 ** _"Y/N!"_** Raimond yelled, ordering Lucas to check the inside of the house to find you. He was genuinely concerned, and a thought crossed his mind that perhaps Sabini had taken you again. Or perhaps he had done something even worse to you.

Your father ran into the house, going straight to the living room where he saw the lifeless body of Sabini in the middle of the glass, a gunshot wound in his head. He stopped in his tracks, and when he looked up he saw you sitting outside. Without thinking he quickly ran over to you, but stopped when you didn't pay any attention to him. You simply stared at Anthony, not bothering or daring to look at anything else. His eyes were still looking straight into yours. You could feel your father sit next to you, and without saying anything he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a hug which you did not return. You couldn't force yourself to do anything else besides stare at Anthony. But when your eyes left him they landed on the other bodies surrounding you and your father. Seeing the guards, who had sacrificed their lives to protect you, made you tear up. You jumped up without saying anything, and wiped your tears away as you walked off without saying one word to your father.

* * *

After changing your clothing you left the house without telling anyone where you were going. Your father hadn't even noticed your disappearance since he was busy informing the deceased families. He only learned of your disappearance when Thomas Shelby gave him a call to let him know that you were there, and that the two of you had made a deal.

You pounded on the door of Shelby's office, or that was what they liked to call it. The house was more like the gambling den where they ran their whole illegal business. After a couple of knocks a woman opened the door, not daring to open it fully.

 ** _"I'm here to see Thomas Shelby."_** You said with a commanding voice. She seemed hesitant at first, and was about fo say something before you added: **_"I'm Y/N Pierce. I'm sure you have heard of me."_** You said perhaps a little too angrily. That seemed to do the trick as she opened the door fully, allowing you to enter the building. You walked in the middle of the room, pointing at the most biggest room with an interior suitable exactly for Thomas Shelby.

 ** _"I'll wait in his cabinet."_** You exclaimed, walking past the short haired woman as you closed the doors behind you. There you instantly grabbed a glass for yourself, pouring it half-full and taking a seat at the main chair of the room. You sipped at the drink, your eyes landing on the papers in front of you. You took one of them into your hands, your eyes skanning the words on it. The main idea was that the Shelby's were working along with Alfie Solomon, the very same man who had ordered your rescue. You still hadn't told your father that he was behind it, and you promised yourself that you would do that the instant you arrived back at home.

Luckily for you, you didn't have to wait for Tommy long since he arrived about ten minutes after you. You were more than sure that the woman - who you assumed was his secretary - had phoned him to let him know of your arrival. He didn't seem to be surprised to see you there when he walked in, shutting the door closed after him.

 ** _"What are you doing here, Y/N?"_** Michael asked who had appeared right after Tommy. You hadn't even noticed him, but your eyes travelled straight to him. He was wearing a dark grey suit, similar to the one Tommy was wearing. A cigarette was between his lips, but when he noticed you he instantly put it out and threw it away.

 ** _"I have some business with Tommy."_** You replied, although your eyes were staring at Tommy when you replied him. He seemed hesitant at your reply. He wasn't sure whether to argue with Tommy, to tell him that his presence was necessary, although he had no idea what you were there about. Because of that he deemed it proper to leave the two of you alone.

As soon as he had left the room you stood up, walking to the bottle of bourbon. You filled your glass, pouring another glass for Tommy. While you were doing so Tommy sat into his chair. He seemed to notice that the papers on the desk were moved, but decided not to question it. You walked over to him, handing him the drink before sitting in a chair against him.

 ** _"I assume you've heard the news."_** You stated, taking a sip of your drink, your eyes never leaving Tommy's.

 ** _"Kind of hard not to. The whole street's talking about it."_** He explained, before adding: **_"Did you kill Sabini?"_**

You simply nodded as a reply, downing the rest of the drink. The glass remained in your hands as you started playing around with it.

 ** _"Here's the thing: I personally feel that your family has not provided a lot of support for mine. I got kidnapped because you were too busy chasing Sabini. A lot of things has happened because you haven't kept your promise."_** You explained to which Tommy let out a chuckle. You raised your eyebrow in confusion, not bothering to comment his action.

 ** _"I am willing to move the date earlier. I'll marry Michael as soon as possible, providing that you help me take down Sabini."_** You added. Now it was Tommy's turn to look confused.

 ** _"Who are you talking about exactly? Sabini's dead."_** He stated, although it didn't take him long to catch on to what you meant. **_"Does your father know about this?"_** He asked, even though he was more than sure that he knew the answer to the question already.

 ** _"My father does not need to know about this. This is a deal between you and me, no one else. My father has no choice but to agree to it. Besides, it was exactly what he wanted in the first place."_** You added. He seemed to be in thought since it took him some time to answer.

 ** _"What about Michael?"_** He questioned. At that point you were growing tired of his questions and wanted simply an answer.

 ** _"What about him? It doesn't matter if we're going to get married in a month or in a week, now does it?"_** You snapped perhaps a little too angrily. He, however, didn't seem to mind or he didn't care enough to comment. You heard some voices outside of the cabinet. Arthur's loud voice could be heard, along with John yelling. Polly seemed to be present at the building as well.

 ** _"You and Michael will get married in three days. In exchange I'll help you take down the remaining members of the Sabini family."_** He said, downing his drink as he stood up. He stretched out his hand for you to shake. For a second you stared at it before standing up, your hand meeting his.

 ** _"It's a deal."_**


	14. Chapter 13

**_Chapter 13_**

When you left Tommy's cabinet you let out a deep breath you didn't even realize you were holding. You couldn't believe that you had agreed to marry Michael, especially in three days which seemed to be so close. Your eyes travelled around the place, and you noticed Polly along with Arthur and John stare at you. You simply shoot them a small smile before walking over to Michael who was close to you. He didn't notice your appearance as he seemed to be busy with some kind of paperwork. It was until you cleared your throat that he noticed you, seeming genuinely surprised to see you there.

 ** _"Can I talk to you? Somewhere private?"_** You asked quietly so that no one could hear what you were about to tell him. He nodded, placing his hand onto your lower back as he guided you into his cabinet. You felt something fluttering in your stomach when he touched you, and without any delay you tried to ignore it. There was a small part of you that felt perhaps relived that the two of you were about to marry – you had accepted it since you were more than sure that the marriage would happen, one way or another. Perhaps it was best to get it over with so that you could focus on other things, like killing the rest of Sabini's family.

 ** _"Is everything alright?"_** Michael questioned as he walked over to his desk, taking a seat but not before guiding you over to a chair across from his. Your eyes looked around the room as you desperately searched for something to stare at, anything beside him. Yet you decided to simply tell him bluntly what you and Tommy had agreed to.

 ** _"I and Tommy made a deal. In order for me to gain his support we need to get married. In three days."_** You blurted out, your eyes staring into his. You saw no reaction from him – he didn't seem to be angry, he didn't seem to be sad or happy. You had no idea what he was feeling and that made you even more nervous than you already were.

 ** _"Okay."_** He simply replied, standing up to take a glass for himself. He poured himself a glass of whiskey as he simply stood near the bar, his back turned to you. You had no idea what to say or do. The whole situation between the two of you was weird and awkward already, and you didn't want to make it worse. You stood up, pulling your coat over your dress as you let out a sigh. He didn't leave his position and you felt that it was probably best if you were to leave. Deciding to do so you walked over to the door, willing to leave. Yet you turned yourself around, and saw Michael looking back at you.

 ** _"I know that this is something that neither of us wants. I simply thought that it was best if you heard about it from me before anyone else."_** You declared, not bothering to stay behind to hear anything else. You ignored Arthur's call as you practically ran out of the building, letting out a loud sigh after exiting the building. The cold air of Birmingham seemed to cool you down, yet the feeling in your stomach didn't leave. You felt different emotions taking over you, and millions of thoughts ran through your mind. The most important one was the following: did you make a mistake agreeing to marry Michael in three days?

* * *

 ** _"Tommy called me. Who do you think you are, making deals with them behind my back?"_** Your father's loud voice greeted you as the first thing upon entering your house. He seemed to be angry, furious even which was supported by the fact that he didn't care about the presence of the servants. The most important rule in the house was that business was always talked about in his cabinet, nowhere else. Only the people needed could stay in the room. Fearing the wrath of your father the servants scattered while your uncle Andre appeared, a glass of whiskey in his hands as he simply stared at the scene in front of him. He looked genuinely pleased while you shot a glare in his way before settling your eyes on your father.

 ** _"I did what I had to do. Besides, aren't you happy? Your daughter is going to marry a Shelby, just like you wanted."_** You spat, venom clearly heard in your voice. Raimond seemed to be shocked at your outburst, and when he stepped closer to you his hand almost connected with your cheek if it wasn't for the presence of Andre. Your father had no desire to punish you in front of his brother. Raimond was full aware of his brother's desire for the leading role of your gang, and the last thing that he wanted was for Andre to get it.

You stood in shock, not able to register in your mind that your father was about to hit you. He had never gotten physical with you, even though the emotional scarring that he had done during your life was plenty to last two lifetimes. Without saying anything you turned around, not bothering to say anything to your father. While you were sure that he was disappointed in you, you were definitely disappointed in _him._ A part of you had hoped that things would get better between the two of you, yet now you weren't sure that they were going to. Unable to hear his footsteps behind you signaled that he didn't bother to run after you. And the fact that he didn't care made tears roll down your cheeks.

* * *

 ** _"I honestly feel sorry for you. Truly."_** Your friend Paula exclaimed as the two of you sat in a bar not too far from your house. You were more than glad to get out of your house, so when Paula came over to visit you practically begged her to go out with you. Being a good friend like she always was she agreed, and now the two of you were sipping on drinks as people danced all around you. The bar was packed with people, which was quite unusual for a Thursday, but you didn't mind. Looking at the people dancing made your thoughts disappear which you were glad about, even if it was simply for a couple of minutes.

 ** _"I know that this is completely out of the blue, but I was hoping that you'd be my bridesmaid."_** You looked over to her with a smile on your face. Paula instantly grabbed your hand and let out a small scream which luckily went unheard to most of the people around you. You couldn't help but to chuckle at her response and her yelling 'yes' over and over again made you burst out laughing. It took you some time to remember when the last time you laughed like that was, and the fact that you couldn't remember convinced you that it was definitely a long time ago.

 ** _"It feels so weird to say that I'm getting married in three days. I don't even know anything about Michael."_** You exclaimed as Paula frowned. Unfortunately that was the truth – you only knew his name and his age, that was it. You felt like you had been transformed into the Middle Age where the poor ladies were forced to marry someone they didn't even know and had seen only a portrait of. Your only consolation was that some of those marriages turned out happy, and that was the only thing you truly wished for – happiness. You only hoped that Michael would be the right person for that. Luckily, or unfortunately – you weren't sure – you'd find that out soon enough.


	15. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 14_**

The words you had said to your friend Paula did not leave you as they were the first thing in your mind when you woke up. You didn't know anything about Michael, and that bothered you a lot, so much that you decided to go and find him. You gathered that he was either at the pub or at the office, and after some thinking you decided to try your luck at the pub. It was rather early in the morning when you woke up, but it took you some time to force yourself out of bed. Your mind wandered around from one topic to another, starting from your father and ending with your future husband. Your father had tried to talk to you when you returned last night, but you simply declined to see him. He banged on the door to your room multiple times, telling you to open it, but you didn't. There were some things that you couldn't forgive your father, and your line had been crossed. The emotional scarring was too deep, and you decided that it was enough.

When you finally forced yourself out of bed, the first thing you did was fix your look. As you looked at yourself in the mirror you noticed that you had dark circles under your eyes, and the overall look wasn't your usual self. The happiness from your eyes had turned into sorrow as you tried your best to fix yourself. Your last night curls were now a mess, and it took you some time to do your hair – by then, the sun was fully in the sky as the people of Birmingham woke to do their daily chores.

You decided to skip breakfast and go straight out of the house. There was a chance that your father was up and running, and you had no desire to have a conversation with him. You practically sneaked out of the main door, almost running into your uncle Andre, who stood in front of the house, a cigarette between his lips.

 ** _"Where are you going so early in the morning?"_** He questioned, a blow of smoke escaping from his lips. You straightened your dress as you shot him a smile, crossing your arms.

 ** _"Just going out for a walk."_** You sweetly replied, walking past him without any intention to stop. His hand grabbed yours, forcing you to turn around with a glare.

 ** _"Does your father know that you're running around without any security?"_** He asked, his voice lowered as he glanced at the guards in the front of the building. His eyes found yours, something wicked glistening in them.

 ** _"That is none of your business. Now, let go of me hand before I take it off."_** You threatened, gaining a chuckle from Andre as he let go of you, putting up his hands in surrender. You didn't bother to say anything to him as you took off, fuming with anger. How dare he question you, the future leader of the Pierce gang? You knew for a fact that your uncle would do anything to be the leader himself and that terrified you. He had always been impulsive, and there was no way to know what he might to do ensure his position in the Pierce gang.

* * *

The streets of Birmingham were full of people as walked towards the Garrison. The air was quite cold for the morning, forcing you to pull your coat closer to your body. Luckily, you had been smart to grab a pair of gloves before leaving – otherwise, you could have sworn your hands would have frozen. The walk to the pub, however, did not take you long. As you entered the building you let out a deep sigh, grateful to reach inside the warm walls of the pub. The building was rather empty, only a couple of men and a pair of young boys inside. One of the boys seemed familiar to you, but you weren't sure who he was. You could have sworn you had seen him with Arthur, but you had no clue if he had any close relations with the Shelby's.

You walked straight to the bar, taking your coat off and placing it to another stool right next to yours. A blonde bartender walked over to you, a smile on her face. You hadn't seen her before, guessing that she had not been working in the pub for long.

 ** _"Morning, what can I get you?"_** She politely asked, waiting for your answer. Your eyes landed on her name tag, seeing that her name was Grace.

 ** _"Nothing, I'm afraid. I'm actually looking for Michael Gray. Do you happen to know where he is?"_** You questioned, a smile on her face. She seemed surprised, walking away from you for a second to serve another customer. When she walked back she had a glass in her hands, trying her best to wipe it clean.

 ** _"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him today. He hasn't been here."_** She answered, replacing one glass with another before walking away to her other chores. You let out a sigh, unsure whether to leave or not. If he was not in the pub, there was a big chance he was in the office. And if he was there, he was probably busy. Besides, that meant that Tommy or Polly might be in the office along with him, and you had no desire to converse with either of them.

With a defeat you prepared yourself to leave when one of the young boys walked over to you, stopping right in front of you. You simply raised your eyebrow, unsure what was his business with you.

 ** _"You looking for Michael? I can let him know your here."_** He proposed, ordering a shot of whiskey and downing it within seconds. The boy couldn't have been older than 16, and he was drinking whiskey right in front of you – there was something awfully wrong with this picture. Yet, his business was not yours, and you had no intention to make it so.

 ** _"That would be great, yes."_** You replied, a smile on your face. A part of you wanted to pay him for his troubles, and when you were about to take out your money you noticed that he was already near the front door.

 ** _"Oi, what's your name?"_** You yelled, not caring who heard you. He turned back, shooting you a smile as he yelled his name: Finn Shelby.

* * *

The next half an hour of your time was wasted on having a conversation with the blonde bartender. You had ordered a couple of drinks, and you were about to feel a little tipsy because of it. Grace told you about her backstory, you returning the favor by telling her yours. She seemed genuinely surprised to hear that you would be marrying Michael. Guess that news didn't travel that fast to the workers of the Shelby family.

You and Grace let out a laugh as the two of you observed the drunken man near you, trying his best to stand on his feet. From the corner of your eye you saw Finn return, Michael not too far behind. His eyes travelled around the pub, finally landing on you as he walked over to you, taking a seat next to your stool.

 ** _"Are you okay?"_** He questioned, his eyes desperately searching for some issue you might have had. His voice had a hint of worry in it, and with a smile on your face you simply nodded, taking a sip from your drink.

 ** _"Is the Shelby family meeting room free? I wanted to talk to you, preferably alone."_** You explained, your eyes glancing from Grace to Finn before landing back on Michael. He nodded, his hand grabbing yours to help you up. With a smile you grabbed your coat, shooting a wink to Grace who chuckled as a response to your actions. Michael led you into the room you had been before once, his hand showing you where to sit. You did so, Michael taking his place next to you. For a couple of seconds the only thing that could be heard in the room was the buzzing of a single fly, before you broke the silence with clearing your throat.

 ** _"I actually came here to learn more about you."_** You blurted out, not daring to look at him, your eyes looking straight ahead of you. When you dared to turn your head you saw that he had placed a cigarette between his lips, taking a drag from it before exhaling. He turned his attention back to you, a smirk clearly visible on his face.

 ** _"Only if I can learn more about you."_**


	16. Chapter 15

**_Chapter 15_**

Shockingly to you, you woke up in the morning with a smile on your face. The events of the previous night came into your mind, the fact that you had spent hours talking with Michael and having multiple drinks with him. You had learnt much about him, and that made the fact that you were going to marry him in two days easier to accept. The sun had already slowly risen when Michael accompanied you to your house, the two of you stopping straight in front of your doorstep.

* * *

 ** _"Thank you for making sure I got home safely."_** _You said, a huge smile on your face, your eyes staring straight into his. He simply nodded, not bothering to reply, and you noticed that he was leaning closer to you. A part of you desperately wanted to move away from him, while the other part told you to let him kiss you. That part won. His lips crashed into yours, and as a response you deepened the kiss, your hand moving to his hair. When he pulled away his forehead stopped on yours, a smile on his face which quickly turned into a chuckle. He made you laugh, and without any words, only one last look you entered your house, shutting the door closed as you stopped to lean on the door, smiling from ear to ear._

* * *

You were so deep in your thoughts that when you went downstairs to eat breakfast you didn't even notice your father sitting already at the table, sipping on some juice while his eyes scanned some papers in his hands. He looked up when he saw you entering, and when you were about to turn around to leave he practically commanded you to sit with him. With a sigh you sat across him, crossing your arms as you glared at him, waiting for him to say something. Instead his slid you a paper with something written on it. You saw that there was an address on the paper, a place that wasn't too far from your house.

 ** _"What's this?"_** You questioned, throwing the paper onto the table before crossing your arms again. The frown on your father's lips turned quickly into a smile, making you raise your eyebrow.

 ** _"That's where your new pub is."_** He said, your eyes widening. A part of you thought you misheard him, but there was no denying – your father really did say _your_ pub. You couldn't help but to let out a scoff, not believing that your father had tried to make you forgive him by buying you a pub.

 ** _"If you think that buying me a pub will make me forgive you, you're deeply mistaken."_** You spoke out loud the thoughts in your mind, your father rolling his eyes. He rose from his seat, moving not too far away from you. You followed him with your eyes, seeing that he took out a wooden box you knew your pictures were. Your father took out one of them, sitting next to you and handing you the picture. You knew who the man in the picture was – your grandfather. You had heard multiple stories about how he had come to Birmingham from London, set up his business and became one of the most powerful gangsters in the town. He had passed the business to your father a little before he was shot dead in the streets of Birmingham.

The picture, however, didn't simply show him, but he was standing in front of a pub called 'Silver & Gold'. He had bought the pub a little after arriving in Birmingham, and the pub became the place he ran most of his operations from. It was significant to him, much like the Shelby's used the Garrison. Your father closed the pub after the death of your mother during the darkest period in his life.

 ** _"This pub has been in our hands for decades. It is yours now, if you want it of course."_** Raimond said, your eyes turning from the picture to him. There was a small smile on his face, and as a response you smiled before throwing your arms around him. He returned the hug, his hands around your shoulders. When you pulled away he planted a kiss onto your forehead, brushing a piece of your hair away from your face before walking off, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

* * *

After eating breakfast and changing you were about to head out of the door when your father called you back. He had a worried look on his face, and when he glanced at his cabinet you saw that there was an unknown man sitting in the room. The man next to him, however, wasn't unknown to you. It was the same one who had saved you from Sabini. His words came back to you as you connected the dots in your head – you were more than sure that the man sitting was Alfie Solomons, the man commanding the Jews in London.

 ** _"Y/N, go take care of our guest, and show him the Pierce hospitality."_** Your father said, his hand grabbing yours and gently pulling you away from the cabinet. You saw the unknown man's eyes on you, and for a second you stared back before focusing on your father instead.

 ** _"I'm sorry, I completely forgot to-"_** You began to apologize, but your father stopped you from finishing your sentence.

 ** _"What you do with the Jewish gangster in none of my business. He's here for you, not me."_** He simply said before walking off, leaving you alone to stare at the cabinet in surprise. You cleared your throat, walking into the room and closing the room behind you. Alfie didn't even bother to turn around, his eyes fixated on the glass in his hands.

 ** _"That is some good stuff you have here, Y/N. You want some, Booth?"_** He said, offering his glass to your savior who simply shook his head. You hesitated for a second before walking to the chair your father had always sat in. When you sat in the leather chair your childhood memories came back to you as you always saw your father sitting in the chair. It seemed surreal to you that you were the one sitting in it, staring straight at one of the most powerful gangsters as well as one of the craziest.

 ** _"What can I help you with, Mr. Solomons?"_** You asked politely, placing your hands onto the table. Your eyes didn't leave his, and the staring continued for a couple of seconds before he leaned forward, placing his glass onto the table.

 ** _"There's a lot of things you can help me with, but at the moment, I need you to get me a meeting with Thomas Shelby."_** He said with his accent as you chuckled as a response, leaning back in the chair and crossing your arms. From the corner of your eye you saw Booth smirk at your response while Alfie didn't seem to be amused at all. In fact, there was a murderous look in his eyes, probably because a woman like you dared to laugh at him.

 ** _"And why would I do something like that?"_** You questioned, your eyes moving from Alfie to Booth before landing on the gangster boss.

 ** _"I have never liked to remind people of their debts, but in case you have already forgotten, I saved your life. Something you didn't even bother to share with your father."_**

 ** _"I've been busy."_** You replied, feeling yourself getting angrier at the man. It was true that he had saved you, but you couldn't stand blackmail, and that was exactly what Solomons was doing.

 ** _"I've heard. Congratulations of the wedding. Never thought a Shelby would snatch away the great Raimond Pierce's daughter. Match made in hell."_** Alfie commented, standing up and emptying the glass. When he had finished it he threw it into the fireplace, pieces of glass shattering everyone. You flinched at the action, trying your best to hide it from Alfie. He didn't notice while Booth did, and there was something in his eyes, something that you couldn't understand.

 ** _"Make the meeting, Y/N. Or things will get a lot messier than they are."_** Solomons said, walking off with Booth behind him. You sent them with a glare, and as soon as they left you punched at the table, anger taking over you. What in the name of God had you gotten yourself into?


End file.
